Health and Safety

Health and safety is an issue that is becoming increasingly important in all areas of public life and schools are no exception to this rule.

Health and Safety in schools is governed by a range of legislation that is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and statutory responsibility for health and safety in schools lies with Local Authorities, Headteachers, school staff and governing bodies.

There are a number of areas in which school leaders must take health and safety into account. For example, governing bodies must take reasonable steps to ensure that school buildings, equipment and materials are safe and do not put the health of students or visitors at risk whilst they are on the premises.

School staff must also cooperate with other who have duties for health and safety by carrying out instructions and reporting unsafe practices. In particular, the Headteacher, who has a delegated responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school has a key role in seeing that the Local Authority’s health and safety policies and procedures are carried out.

Everyday activities at school will inevitably raise a series of health and safety issues and detailed guidance is available to schools on child protection, educational visits, fire safety, first aid, school meals and nutritional standards, school security and the use of force to control or restrain pupils.

However, whilst school leaders must pay due attention to the appropriate legislation and take steps to ensure the safety of their pupils on the school premises the HSE has advised schools to take a commonsense approach to risk management and not curtail children’s activities due to unfounded fears about health and safety legislation. It is therefore essential that school leaders take time to read through the appropriate legislation so that they are able to distinguish between real and imagined risks.

This section offers schools advice on the contentious issue of health and safety. In these pages the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outlines the DCSF’s guidance on school health and safety and Datatrak Ltd. outlines the importance of electrical safety within schools, offering advice to school leaders on how to protect pupils and staff from electrical dangers.

In This Section:

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - Health and Safety Guidance
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) the body responsible for health and safety legislation in the UK outlines the DCSF’s health and safety guidance for schools.

Datatrak Ltd. - Electrical Safety for Schools
Electrical specialists Datatrak Ltd explain why health and safety should be paramount in schools and how they can offer schools a one-stop approach to electrical safety.